Sign



March ll, 1930. c. c. MUELLER, JR., ET AL v1,750,118

SIGN

Filed April 2. 1

QYENTORS BY rrom'vns. v

invention relates Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES C. MUELLER, JR., AND DANIEL C. WENDEL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY SIGN Application filed April 2,

This invention relates in general to signs, and more particularly to means for suspending a sign-board or plate in vertical position upon a stand or other suitable support. The particularly to so-called sidewalk signs.

The objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved construction for signboards including a frame and means for securing a sign panel thereon, whereby the panel may withstand hard blows without being displaced from the frame; to provide a novel and improved construction of signboard which can be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled; and to obtain other results and advantages which will be brought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which corresponding and like parts are designated throughout the several views by the same reference characters.

. Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sidewalk sign embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a modified form of sign, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of another modified construction.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the reference character A designates a sign-board which is supported upon a stand or support B for use upon a sidewalk or other horizontal supporting surface. The signboard comprises a frame including two longi tudinal side pieces or stiles 1, along the outer sides of which are arranged metal straps 2 each of which is secured to one end of one of said stiles by a bolt 3. An end piece 4 isattached to the opposite end of said stiles by bolts 5 extending through said end piece and angular extensions 6 on the straps 2. Intermediate the ends of the stiles 1 is secured a transverse piece 7. Arranged within the frame is a sign panel 8 formed of two sheets 9 of sheet metal which have their longitudinal edges arranged at right angles to the plane of the panels as at 10 and arranged in 1928. Serial No. 266,498.

undercut grooves 11in the stiles 1. Clamping shims 12 are fitted in the grooves 11 to tightly secure the sign panel flanges 10 within the groove and hold the position of the panels taut. The end piece 4 and the transverse piece 7 are longitudinally grooved as at 13- to receive the ends of the anels 9. With this construction it will be 0 served that the end piece 4 may be removed by removing the bolts 5','and the panels 9'may be longitudinally slipped into and out of the grooves 11 in the stiles 1 for assembling or disassembling the sign-board. The flanges 10 in the grooves 11 also hold the plates from being pushed out of the frame by blows or pressure exerted on the lates.

T 1e standor support B comprises two substantially U-shaped members 14 and 15 the extremity of the arms of each which are pivotally connected by pivot bolts or rivets 16, said members 14 and 15 being adapted to move about the pivots 16 into substantially the same plane or at an angle to eachother so as to stand upright as shown in Figure 2. For holding the members 14 and 15 in upright position, they are connected by a tie bar 20 in known manner. This construction of stand is old and well-known and'no claim thereon is made.

The sign-board A is pivotally mounted on said stand about a horizontal axis on the pivot bolts or rivets 16 which are secured to the respective straps 2 as clearly shown in Figure 1, spacing washers 17 being provided to prevent binding of the parts. To the lower end of the sign-board is secured a weight 18 of any suitable material such as concrete or metal, and preferably said weight is attached to the sign-board by means of the bolt 3 which extends through an opening 19 in the weight. This weight is suflicient to normally maintain the sign-board in a vertical plane, and will permit the sign-board to yield out of said vertical plane as shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 2, under the influence of pressure such as that caused by high winds. Preferably the pivots 16 are arranged adjacent the lower end of the signboard so that the weight 18 is disposed close to the point where the strains incident to wind pressure etc. are applied to the sign support and adjacent the bottom of the structure, or in other words so as to locate the pivots near the center of gravity of the sign structure to minimize the possibilities of the sign being blown or tipped over. This construction also makes the stand or support B relatively inconspicuous and small. It will be understood, however, that it is within the scope of the invention to widely var the position of the pivot 16 in relation to t e length of the sign-board.

Instead of using the counter-weight 18 for maintaining the sign-board in vertical position we may utilizetension springs 20, each having one end connected as by an eye 21 to the lower end of the sign-board and its other end connected to one of the members 14 or of the stand B as shown in Figure 4. These springs will yield to permit swinging of the sign-board as shown in Figure 2, just as does the weight 18 permit such swing 111.

we may also utilize torsion springs 22 on the pivot bolts 16, to mount the sign-board to yieldingly swing about a horizontal axis. These springs are preferably arranged between the ends of the member 15 and the respective strap 2 on the sign-board, one end of each spring being attached to the member 15 and the other end attached to the respective strap 2. Obviously, the torsion of the springs will normally hold the sign-board in a vertical plane but will ermit it to be swung out of said plane un er the influence of wind'pressure.

It will be understood that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of the construction of our sign without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and therefore we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves except as required by the following claims as construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A sign-board comprising a frame having side pieces formed withundercut grooves, a sign panel comprising two superposed metal plates having their longitudinal edges bent in opposite directions at angles to the planes of said plates and fitted into said grooves, and end pieces secured to said side pieces and having grooves to receive the ends of said plates.

2. A sign comprising a vertical sign-board, a metal strap secured to each vertical side thereof, a support, and pivotal means connected to said straps and said support for pivotally mounting said sign-board upon said support, the lower ends of said straps extending beyond the lower end of said board, and

3. A sign eomprisin a vertical sign-board, a metal strap secure to each vertical side thereof, a support, and pivotal means connected to said straps and said support for pivotally mounting said sign-board upon said support the lower ends of said straps extending beyond the lower end of said board, a counter-weight having an opening therethrough, and a bolt extending through said opening with its ends secured in said lower ends of said straps. 1

4. A sign-board comprising a frame having its sides formed with undercut grooves, and a sign panel comprising two superposed metal plates having their edges bent in opposite directions atangles to the planes ofsaid plates and fitted into said grooves.

CHARLES C. MUELLER, JR. DANIEL C. WENDEL.

a counter-weight mounted between said ends I of said straps to yieldingly hold said board in a vertical plane. 

